This quote is from a Karl Rove speech delivered Saturday to a group of future political ops as they graduated from the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management.

“There are some in politics who hold that voters are dumb, ill informed and easily misled, that voters can be manipulated by a clever ad or a smart line,” said Rove, who is credited with President Bush’s victories in the 2000 and 2004 elections. “I’ve seen this cynicism over the years from political professionals and journalists. American people are not policy wonks, but they have great instincts and try to do the right thing.”

To the greater extent, I believe Rove is right; however, and I recently saw conclusive evidence that this is not the case, at least in certain pockets. Primary voters can be dumb, ill-informed, and easily manipulated by a smart line. The idea of replacing a politician gone bad can become so trendy and consuming that they can defile themselves with the replacement. And because they were stupid enough to do it in the first place, they cannot learn.

Then again, this can apply only to an energized minority. How many Frenchmen chopped off heads at their revolution? How many became drunk with the mob-mentality which drives people to act rashly?

Not that this instance deserves my analysis. Karl Rove brought it up!